Chaos on Hong Kong roads
EXPERIECED DRIVER
I successfully passed my driving test, first time, over 25 years ago and, therefore, have been a qualified driver since that point. Apart from my stint in the Magic Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, when I wasn't allowed to drive due to my feminine demeanor (it's true), I have been driving various vehicles on various roads since then. I have negotiated the steep, narrow country lanes of West Yorkshire when I built up my left bicep doing scary hill starts. I have managed snow and ice driving. I have bumped across the desert and stopped on the motorway for camels in Bahrain where I saw enough accidents to last a life time. I have delivered my children to parties in unknown streets and picked them up again as well as skilfully managing fastening child seats, serving Tommy tippee cups and chopped apple, singing along to child friendly music WHILE driving.
All of this evidence means that I am a driver with experience.
GEOGRAPHY HURDLE
However, since arriving in Hong Kong I have regressed. Even the break neck speed and reckless Arabic driving style did not prepare me for Hong Kong roads. My main hurdle is geography. Even after being here a considerable amount of time, understanding the road signs seems to rely on the power of telepathy. Although there are signs to,say, Kwun Tong, how do you know when you've got to Kwun Tong? There is no sign to tell you and everything looks the same and there are no spaces in-between areas. It's all just one huge metropolis. How can you tell if you have left Jordan and are in Prince Edward or Mong Kok? What's the blooming difference?
Parking is prohibitively expensive and don't talk to me about tunnel fees. Then there is the lack of understanding regarding the rules of roundabout use.
FRIENDLY WAVE IS EXPECTED
But its the complete lack of courtesy that is the most difficult to deal with. I am programmed to queue and am hard wired to be a polite road user. I am English after all. So if someone in front is signalling to change lanes then it is protocol, in England anyway, to allow that person to manoeuvre in front of your car and you, as a sensible, polite and intelligent driver, to give him/her space to do that. It is then quite normal, no expected, that a friendly wave to acknowledge this politeness is executed.
EYES FRONT AND IGNORE
Hong Kong drivers seem blissfully unaware that other drivers need to change lanes at all and will, eyes front, continue to drive at the same speed, ignore your signal and even speed up to fill the gap so there is no chance of a safe manoeuvre causing you to drive to somewhere you don't even know and never wanted to go to in the first place. Then they have the nerve to beep their horn! This can also be done while queuing for tunnels. Everyone is crawling along. Eye contact, friendly nods or acknowledgment of the presence of other drivers can easily be made, but it never is. No weakness must be shown. Any attempt at lane changing at the tunnels is a serious chess move which, surprise surprise causes check mate regularly. If no one will let anyone else in where are we all going?
There is no courtesy on Hong Kong roads.
DOG EAT DOG
Is this dog eat dog attitude an indication of the real nature of Hong Kong people? Perhaps their obsession with making money is the same attitude that is otherwise only exposed when they get behind the wheel of a car and their polite persona in other areas is merely a front, hiding the real cut throat 'I come first' stance?
Recent Comments